The Blizzard Catastrophe: Politicians Protest Blizzard's Actions

At the tail end of last week, Blizzard got one last slap in the face that was big enough to warrant reporting now. And as you’ve probably figured out from the headline, it still involves their recent decision to side with the Chinese government and punish a young Hearthstone player, “Blitzchung”, for speaking out in favor of democracy and, thus, putting Blizzard’s all-important bottom line at risk.

Players, other pros, their own employees, and even rival companies have all expressed disappointment in Blizzard’s decisions. And now, one more important group is joining Blizzard’s critics: politicians. In a bipartisan letter co-authored by United States Senators Ron Wyden and Marco Rubio, and supported by Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mike Gallagher, and Tom Malinowski, the senators take Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick to town for his decisions and ask him to reconsider.

The letter (which can be read in full here) states:

“We write to express our deep concern about Activision Blizzard’s decision to make player Ng Wai Chung forfeit prize money and ban him from participating in tournaments for a year after he voiced support for pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This decision is particularly concerning in light of the Chinese government’s growing appetite for pressuring American businesses to help stifle free speech…

…Your company claims to stand by “ones rights to express individual thoughts and opinions,” yet many of your own employees believe that Activision Blizzard’s decision to punish Mr. Chung runs counter to those values. Because your company is such a pillar of the gaming industry, your disappointing decision could have a chilling effect on gamers who seek to use their platform to promote human rights and basic freedoms. Indeed, many gamers around the world have taken notice of your company’s actions, understandably calling for boycotts of Activision Blizzard gaming sites.

As China amplifies its campaign of intimidation, you and your company must decide whether to look beyond the bottom line and Promote American values – like freedom of speech and thought – or give in to Beijing’s demands in order to preserve market access."

You’ll note the letter is a bit dated, as Blizzard has eased up on his the punishment even before it was originally published, but it’s still a pretty strongly worded message… and hopefully one that more than just Activision Blizzard takes to heart. After all, they’re far from the only company to fall under China’s sway, as the letter itself notes.

As of writing this, Blizzard hasn’t responded to the letter.